W A S H B U R N C O U N T Y
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INSIDE
Sept. 25, 2013
Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013 Vol. 125, No. 6 • Shell Lake, Wis.
We e ke nd w atch
• “Aladdin” at Spooner High School • Lions Health Fair @ Shell Lake • Playing comedy workshop @ Shell Lake See Events page 6
75¢
Colorfest friends
Technology at work Page 2
Volunteering for the future Page 5
Educational opportunities Beyond the office door
Page 4
Rylei Schmidz and Hailey Duffy are best friends and having fun at the Barronett Colorfest that was held Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 21 and 22. More photos on back page. — Photo by Larry Samson
New post office deadline impacts local businesses
SPORTS Shell Lake sweeps Clear Lake in three Pages 9-11
BREAKERS
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STATEWIDE - Beginning in mid-October, new applicants for unemployment insurance will have to register online through the Job Center of Wisconsin. Years ago, the federal government began pushing states to make the newly unemployed file for benefits online. John Fandrich, a deputy secretary for Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development, said the state is coming into compliance. Fandrich said the new regulation takes place on Oct. 13. “It is a regulation that’s been out there for some time, probably since the mid ’90s,” he said. “We’ve just never actively enforced it because we just wanted to make sure we had all the technology in place, the staff trained to make sure that we could have this be a positive and seamless process.” Fandrich said the state hasn’t been penalized for failing to implement the online requirement. People who have lost jobs have been able to apply for benefits over the phone. But Fandrich said they will now have to log on to the Job Center’s website. Once there, they will also be asked a series of questions to help build a resumé which potential employers will have access to. “What this technology will allow us (to do) … is for them to be matched up with an employer sooner,” said Fandrich. The state Legislature recently passed a law requiring people on unemployment to apply for four jobs each week rather than the previous two jobs per week. - Patty Murray/Wisconsin Public Radio
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by Danielle Moe Register staff writer SHELL LAKE - “Some collection times have been adjusted to align with our transportation and mail processing operating windows to ensure we continue to meet our service standards,” wrote Pete Nowacki, United States Postal Service representative, in an email. Since 2012, the Eau Claire sorting facility has been on a list of 162 Postal Service facilities across the nation slated for consolidation. When
fully implemented in late 2014, the Postal Service expects its network consolidations to generate approximately $2 billion in annual cost reductions, and lead to total workforce reduction of up to 28,000 employees. For area businesses, the cutbacks mean possible delays in service for customers and new mail deadlines for businesses. Delores Zaloudek, assistant operations offi-
See New deadline, page 3
Oktoberfest and Haunted Schoolhouse returning to Shell Lake Arts Center SHELL LAKE — After rave reviews, two fall events will be returning to the Shell Lake Arts Center this fall. All are welcome to attend Oktoberfest and the Haunted Schoolhouse. Oktoberfest, taking place on Saturday, Oct. 5, features food and beverage tasting along with music performed by Three Rivers Polka Band, based out of River Falls, and the popular rock band Stormy Monday. Free tastings take place throughout the evening. Guests can take a chance at many raffle items donated by local merchants and artists. The event takes place at the Shell Lake Arts Center’s Darrell Aderman Auditorium; 802 First St. in Shell Lake, from 6-11 p.m. The Shell Lake Arts Center and the Shell Lake Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring Oktoberfest. The third-annual Haunted Schoolhouse will terrify visitors at the Shell Lake Arts Center on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 25 and 26, from 6-10 p.m. What happens to the students and teachers when an old high school shuts down? They stay there, of course, and haunt the victims who dare to enter. Guests looking for a less scary adventure are welcome from 6-8 p.m. for the not-so-scary trip through the Haunted Schoolhouse. Those
Local band members Nick Muska, Sam Muska and Brett Holman, of Stormy Monday, form one of the bands performing music at Shell Lake’s Oktoberfest on Saturday, Oct. 5, at the Shell Lake Arts Center. Photo submitted looking for an extreme scare can attend from 8-10 p.m. Proceeds from the Haunted Schoolhouse are shared by area nonprofits that host the event. — from SLAC